Electronic Health Records and Improved Patient Care: Opportunities for Applied Psychology

Healthcare is undergoing an unprecedented technology transition from paper medical records to electronic health records (EHRs). While the adoption of EHRs holds tremendous promise for improving efficiency, quality and safety, there have been numerous challenges that have been largely centered on the technology not meeting the cognitive needs of the clinical end-users. Clinicians are experiencing increased stress and frustration, and new safety hazards have been introduced. There is a significant opportunity for applied psychologists to address many of these challenges. I highlight three key areas: studying and modeling clinician needs, applying theoretically grounded design principles, and developing technology to support teamwork and communication.